It is not what we eat, but it is what’s eating us!

Editor: Over the years the most prevalent causes of mortality have changed from infectious maladies to chronic diseases such as cancer. As we continue to fight the ongoing battle of cancer in our society, we are continually reminded to eat healthy and make the necessary lifestyle changes. However, we realize while there maybe no conclusive root cause for cancer, society’s all too reluctant attitude towards this silent killer is mutating and eating us at the core.{{more}} We are battling with negative attitudes towards screening and many lack the support when it comes to cancer. Many have opted to change the intake of specific foods, but still we are not proactive in doing the necessary health examinations (screening), fearing the unknown!

According the World Health Organization, screening is an important part of our well-being. It is denoted as the use of simple tests across a healthy population in order to identify individuals who have the disease, but do not yet have symptoms. Examples include breast cancer screening, using mammography and cervical cancer screening, using cytology screening methods, including pap smears. Screening tests do not diagnose a patient with cancer or any form of illness; however, it helps to identify any abnormalities in our tissues, so we can make the requisite adjustments and get the necessary treatment. Therefore, it’s important that while we engage in healthy eating habits, we visit our doctors and do the necessary checks.

Too often many resort to the cliché “if me bin know” and when diagnosed may find themselves experiencing a state of hopelessness and helplessness. But don’t be dismayed, there is good news and all is not lost; but we must change our attitude towards health care (screening) lest this attitude eat us at the core.

Let us therefore aim to be proactive; take responsibility for our health, get all the needed information, so informed decisions can be made which will, in the long run, add to the quality of our lives.

Kevan Glasgow (PRO)

SCORCH Cancer Support Foundation.